Furnace cleaning device



March 20, 1962 W. BENKENSTEIN FURNACE CLEANlNG DEVICE Filed June 5, 1959Tua-1- 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 20, 1962 W. BENKENSTEIN FURNACE CLEANINGDEVICE Filed June 3, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ,I4/fura@.EEN/ENSTF/N ATTORNEYS 3,025,548 Patented Mar. 20, 1962 3,025,548FURNACE CLEANiNG DEVICE Walter Benkenstein, Hettstedt, Sndharz, Germany,assignor to VEB Mansfeld Hutten-Kombinat Wilhelm Pieck, Eisleben,Germany Filed June 3, 1959, Ser. No. 817,808 Claims priority,application Germany Nov. 7, 1958 7 Claims. (Cl. 15--14.16)

This invention relates in general to furnace cleaning devices and inparticular to a new and useful automatically controlled device formechanically removing solid deposits or incrustations from the interiorsof furnaces such as revolving cylindrical furnaces.

The present invention is particularly directed to a device for cleaningrevolving type cylindrical furnaces. ln such furnaces the operator facesthe task of removing deposits which are formed when metallurgicaloperations` are carried out, for example. Devices employed heretoforeinclude so-called industrial guns which remove deposits by tiring solidmaterials into the furnaces and the usually manually controlled devicessuch as scrubbers, brushes, Scrapers, rollers and the like. The manuallyoperated devices are not suitable for the revolving cylindrical type offurnaces since the manual operation is long and involved and access tothe furnace cannot be had when it is in an operating heated condition.Heretofore, it was necessary to shut down the furnace and allow it tocool before the cleaning operation could be accomplished. Since thefurnaces maintain their high temperatures for long periods after use,the working conditions within the furnaces when they are cleanedmanually are insuierable.

In accordance with the present invention, there is providedamechanically operated device which can be employed while the furnace isin operation. The invention includes an elongated tube operated througha drive mechanism by means of a compressed air control. The tube isprovided at its furnace cleaning end with a starshaped ram head whichacts as a scraper for the removal of the deposits within the furnace.Since the tube is extensible it can be inserted into the furnace withoutthe operator coming into contact with the high temperatures therein. Thedevice is mounted on a movable undercarriage frame which carries amechanical device for changing the elevation of the tube in order toposition the cleaning end at the proper location inside the furnace.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an automaticfurnace cleaning tool for rotary cylindrical furnaces and the like.

A further object of this invention is to provide a furnace cleaningmechanism including `an elongated cleaning tube which is continuouslysupplied with cooling water which is circulated therethrough and whichincludes means for automatically controlling the position of thecleaning end within a furnace to be cleaned.

A further object of this invention is to provide a furnace cleaningdevice which is simple in design, rugged in construction and economicalto manufacture.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention arepointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming apart of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention,its operative advantages and specific objects attained by its use,reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptivematter in which there is illustrated and described a preferredembodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a furnace cleaning device constructed inaccordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary top plan of the cleaning device illustrated inFIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a section taken on the line 3--3 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 4 is an end elevation of the star-shaped cleaning head.

Referring to the drawings in particular. the invention as embodiedtherein includes a wheeled carnage 10 ar ranged to run over a trackstructure 12. The carriage includes a forward mounting bracket 14holding a yoke frame member 16 which slidably supports a central impactor cleaning tube generally designated 18.

The impact or cleaning tube 18 is slidably supported at its forward endon rollers 20 of a laterally movable wheeled vehicle 22 which ispositioned to align the forward end of the tube 18 Within a rotaryfurnace 24. The end of the tube 18 is provided with a substantiallystarshaped ram head 26 which is forcibly scraped along the walls of thefurnace in order to remove the incrustations therefrom. The head 26 isshown on an enlarged scale in FIGS. 3 and 4.

The opposite end of the impact tube 18 is supported on rollers 28 of aportable stand 30 which is moved into position to support the tube atthe proper angular disposition. The angle of inclination of the tube 18with respect to the horizontal is changed by adjusting the position ofan elevating link 32 which is pivotally connected at one end to the yokeframe 16 and includes a pin 33 which rides in a slot 34 of the carriage10. The pin 33 is moved along the slot 34 under the control of a handcrank and screw mechanism 36. y

In accordance with the invention the impact cleaning ram 26 is scrapedalong the walls of the furnace by moving the tube 18 axially therealong.To accomplish controlled movement of the impact tube 18 there isprovided a pair of compressed air cylinders 38 and 40 mounted in theyoke bracket 16 on each side of the tube 18. Each of the cylinders 38and.40 contains a sliding-piston 42 which is connected on opposite sidesto piston rods- 44 and 46, respectively. The outer ends of the piston`rods 44 and 4'6 of each of the cylinders 38 and 49 are connected tosliding yokes or cross members 48 and Si), respectively. The crossmembers 48 and 5i) are connected to toggle clamp or so called dutchclamp members '52 and 54, respectively. The dutch clamp members orclamping pincers 52 and 54 operate in a known manner to grip the tube 18Whenever the associated cross members `48 or S0 are pulled in adirection away from the clamp. Therefore, when it is desired to move theimpact tube 18 further into the furnace the cylinders 38 and 40 aresupplied with compressed air to force the piston 42 to the left andeffect movement of the cross member 50 to the' left, effect grippingmovement of its associated dutch clamp S4 on the tube 18. The tube 18 isgripped tightly by the clamp 54 and it is advanced further into thefurnace in accordance with movement of the pistons 42.

The clamping pincers 52 and 54 include outer collar portions 52a and54a, respectively, which are freely slidable on the tube 18. The collarmembers 52a and 54a are connected to their associated yoke members 48and 50, respectively, by pivotally connected link members 52b, I52C `and5412, 54C, respectively. The link members are pivotally connected toeach other and the inner member link members 52C and 54C are pivotallyconnected to their associated cross `heads 48 and 50, respectively.Movement of the cross head members 48 or 50 toward r the yoke frame 16causes the respective link SZb or 54b to pivot on its associated collar52a and 54a to cause complementary semi-annular gripping portions 52dand 54d, respectively, to engage the tube 18 to cause it to movetherewith.

Control of the movement of the pistons 42 is effected by means ofcompressed air under a manual valve setting cylinder 56 which includes ahandle portion 58 to position the valve on either end ofthe cylinder 56in order to connectcompressed air through one of either of tube 60 ortube 62, to one end or the other of the cylinders 38 and 40.

The impact tube 18 andy the ram member 26 are continuously cooled bywater which is circulated through an inlet tube -64 and circulatedcompletely along the length of the tube to the ram head 26 andbackwardly through an outlet tube 66.

When the device is properly positioned in relation to the furnace on thetrack structure 12, it may be advantageously anchored in position byknown securing means, such as indicated at 68.

Thus, the invention provides a very simply operated device for cleaningapparatus such as slowly revolving cylindrical furnaces while the latterare still in operation. The device is simply controlled as to positionand angle of disposition in relation to the furnace.

While a specic embodiment of the invention has been shown and describedin detail to illustrate the application of the invention principles, itwill be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise withoutdeparting from such principles.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for mechanically removing solid deposits from a furnace,comprising a main frame, separate from said furnace, an elongatedtubular member axially slidable on said main frame, vfurnace cleaningmeans at one endof saidtubular member, means for circulating coolingfluid through said tubular member tosaid furnace cleaning means,and-means for shifting vthe position` ofl said tubular member axially,said last-named means comprising a cylinder, a piston slidable in saidcylinder, and a clamp'connected to saidpistonand engageable with saidtubular membery upon-movement ofsaid piston in one directionbut`releasable therefrom upon the movement of said piston inthe opposite.direction.

2. AA device formechanicallyv removing solidl deposits from revolvingcylindricalE furnaces, comprising a main frame, an-impacttube supportingyoke pivotally mounted on said main frame, an impact tube axiallymovably mounted-on saidsupporting yoke, and meansl for moving saidimpact tube axially comprising-a cylindrical'member oneach side ofsaidfimpact tube,I adoubl'e acting piston slidable within-each of'saidcyli'ndricalmembers, piston rodsextending outwardly-from oppositesides of said pistons, al cross membery connecting saidi'piston rodsonthe common side ofl eachof= said' cylindricall members',and'clamping'means connecting each of: said crossmembers andslidable onsaidfimpact tube, said clamping means being eifectiveto grip said impacttube andtmove it axiallyvlwhenthe-adjacentcross' member is-movinglin adirection away from said clamping/means'.r

3; AV deviceV for' mechanicallyremoving solid depositsv from cylindricalfurnacesy according to claim 2, further including means for cooling?said impact tube.

4. A`- device forr mechanically removing solid deposits from cylindricalfurnaces according to claim 2, wherein said impact tube is provided atits one end with a ram head of substantially star-shaped configuration.

i. A device for mechanically removing solid deposits yfrom cylindricalfurnaces according to claim 2, further including means for changing theangle of elevation of said supporting yoke.

6. A device for mechanically removing solid deposits from revolvingcylindrical furnaces and the like, comprising a wheeled support adaptedt-o be moved into position adjacent said furnace, an elongated integraltubular member slidably mounted on said wheeled support, means on saidwheeled support for changing the angle of elevation of said tubularmember, said tubular member including furnace cleaning means at one end,and means for moving said tubular member axially on and relatively tosaid wheeled support, said last-named means comprising at least onecylinder, a piston slidable in each of said cylinders, and a clampconnected to each of said pistons and alternately engageable with saidtubular member upon movement of said pistons in one direction butalternately releasable therefrom upon movement of said pistons in theopposite direction, whereby said cleaning means may be reciprocated insaid furnace.

7. A device for mechanically removing solid deposits from revolvingcylindrical furnaces and the like, comprising a mounting platformseparate from Said furnace, a yoke member pivotally mounted on saidmounting platform, an elongated integral tubular member slidably mountedon said yoke member, means on said mounting platform for changing theangle of elevation of one end of said yoke member, said? tubular memberincluding furnace cleaning means at one end,I and means for moving saidtubular member axially,- saidlast-named means comprising acylindricalmember on each side of said tubular member, a double actingpiston reciprocable within each ofy saldicylindrical-members, pistonrods extending from opposite sides ofi said pistons, a cross memberlconnecting saidi piston` rods on the-same extremities of saidycylindrical members, and clamping means connecting each of said crossmembers and slidable on said tubular member, said clamping meansV beingeffective to grip said tubular member and move it axially when theadjacent one of said cross membersy is moving in a direction awayy fromsaid clamping means, whereby said'cleaning means may be reciprocatedtinsaid'furnace.

References Cited in the le ofl this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 582,953Robeson et al. May 18, 1897 2,126,933 Stone et al; Aug. 16, 19382,174,415 Curtis Sept. 26, 1939 2,176,238 Anderson Oct. 17, 19392,274,431 Rennerl Feb. 24, 1942 2,310,471 SteckeLet'al. Feb. 9, 1943FOREIGN PATENTS 514,261 Italy -s g Feb, 9, 1955

